White Thunder (26 page)
Authors: Aimee Thurlo
AIMÉE & DAVID THURLO
When a young Navajo warrior—a member of the National Guard—is killed soon after returning from Iraq, the entire Navajo nation rises up to demand justice. Navajo have long served in the US armed forces with distinction; before Special Investigator Ella Clah has time to draw breath, she finds that the Army is elbowing in on her case. Was Jimmy Blacksheep
murdered because of something he saw Over There, or is the cause of his death much more personal and close to home? Find out in
Mourning Dove,
the newest Ella Clah novel, available now from Forge.
murdered because of something he saw Over There, or is the cause of his death much more personal and close to home? Find out in
Mourning Dove,
the newest Ella Clah novel, available now from Forge.
CHAPTER ONE
I
n all her years serving first with the FBI, and then the Navajo Tribal Police, Special Investigator Ella Clah had never had an office with a window—until now. Budgets had grown,
not due to tribal prosperity but because of an increase in violent crimes across the Navajo Nation. That had forced an expansion of their existing station and Ella, as head of their major crimes unit, had landed space in their new wing. The odor of fresh paint was a constant reminder of the changes taking place in the department as was the color scheme, a palette of soft aquas, designed to relieve
stress and maximize efficiency.
n all her years serving first with the FBI, and then the Navajo Tribal Police, Special Investigator Ella Clah had never had an office with a window—until now. Budgets had grown,
not due to tribal prosperity but because of an increase in violent crimes across the Navajo Nation. That had forced an expansion of their existing station and Ella, as head of their major crimes unit, had landed space in their new wing. The odor of fresh paint was a constant reminder of the changes taking place in the department as was the color scheme, a palette of soft aquas, designed to relieve
stress and maximize efficiency.
Ella swiveled in her chair, took a sip of freshly brewed coffee, and gazed at Ship Rock, the rock formation that was their town’s namesake. She recalled the old story about the huge flying monsters that had once lived there. The tale was part of every Navajo child’s education from before the first grade—that is, if they attended reservation schools. The story was
vibrant with the richness and rhythms of The People’s legends. She could almost hear her mother, Rose, telling her the tale, keeping the legends alive—a gift from one generation to the next.
vibrant with the richness and rhythms of The People’s legends. She could almost hear her mother, Rose, telling her the tale, keeping the legends alive—a gift from one generation to the next.
All the
Dinetah,
the land of the Navajos, was filled with stories about the ones who’d come before. Every sandstone formation, pass or valley, mountain peak, and rock formation within the Four Corners and
beyond echoed with the tradition of the
Dineh.
Dinetah,
the land of the Navajos, was filled with stories about the ones who’d come before. Every sandstone formation, pass or valley, mountain peak, and rock formation within the Four Corners and
beyond echoed with the tradition of the
Dineh.
Finished with her coffee, Ella turned, hearing Justine step through the doorway. “Morning, partner,” Ella greeted.
Justine nodded, a somber expression on her face. “Nothing’s good about it now. Another possible carjacking went down late last night or earlier this morning. This time all hell has broken loose.”
“What’ve we got?” Ella said, automatically
reaching for her keys as she dropped the empty foam cup into the wastebasket.
reaching for her keys as she dropped the empty foam cup into the wastebasket.
“We’ve got a homicide too—a soldier who just returned home from Iraq. The officer at the scene ID’d him.”
“How’d he die?” Ella grabbed her jacket, and was out the door before Justine had answered.
“Multiple gunshot wounds, according to the officer.”
“Do you have a ‘twenty’ on this?” she asked referring to the location
of the crime as they hurried down the hall.
of the crime as they hurried down the hall.
“Just off Highway 64 about three miles west of Rattlesnake,” Justine answered. “We’ll have to take your unit. Mine’s getting new tires.”
They hurried to Ella’s unmarked vehicle, Justine taking the keys. As they pulled up to the highway and Justine braked, checking for traffic, they both heard an ominous high pitched squeal. “It’s the dust from yesterday’s
wind. Smell it in the air? It’s starting early today too. The breeze will turn into gusts before noon today for sure and sand will fly everywhere including the brake linings again,” Ella said. “I read in the paper that the wind’s been getting up to sixty in the afternoons. I hate this kind of weather. I can’t stand the constant whistling through the slightest gap in the windows and doors,
the sand blasting against your skin … not to mention evidence flying everywhere.”
wind. Smell it in the air? It’s starting early today too. The breeze will turn into gusts before noon today for sure and sand will fly everywhere including the brake linings again,” Ella said. “I read in the paper that the wind’s been getting up to sixty in the afternoons. I hate this kind of weather. I can’t stand the constant whistling through the slightest gap in the windows and doors,
the sand blasting against your skin … not to mention evidence flying everywhere.”
“Some say that Wind carries information. You just have to listen carefully,” Justine said.
“Now you sound like my brother. Clifford knows all the stories. It’s part of what makes him a good medicine man. He says that Wind has supporting power—that if I tune myself into it, rather than become its adversary, I’d
get farther. But I still hate the taste of sand in my mouth, and since Wind puts it there … .”
get farther. But I still hate the taste of sand in my mouth, and since Wind puts it there … .”
Justine laughed.
Ella turned down the volume of the police radio. Today, it was mostly static and garbled transmissions. Another of Wind’s side effects on obsolete equipment. The budget increases had targeted additional staff and facilities, not equipment, unfortunately. “What else did you get on
this latest crime?”
this latest crime?”
“Officer Mark Lujan called it in just a few minutes before I came into your office,” Justine answered. “He found the body down a side road near a cattle guard. It was visible from the highway.”
Ella nodded. “It’s pretty desolate out there past Rattlesnake. Just a few houses here and there down toward the river, and you really have to look for them.”
They made a sweeping
turn toward the northwest, and Ella looked up at Ute Mountain over in Colorado. “What do you have on the victim?”
turn toward the northwest, and Ella looked up at Ute Mountain over in Colorado. “What do you have on the victim?”
“The deceased lived on land that was allotted to his family. After his parents passed on, he and his brother leased sections of it. The victim’s name is Jimmy Blacksheep,” she added after a moment’s hesitation. Although police officers, by and large, were modernists, most of them
shared a reluctance to speak of the recently deceased by name. It wasn’t so much fear of the
chindi
, the evil in a man that stayed earthbound after death. It had more to do with respect for the Navajo cultural practices they’d learned and followed most of their lives. Habits of a lifetime were hard to break.
shared a reluctance to speak of the recently deceased by name. It wasn’t so much fear of the
chindi
, the evil in a man that stayed earthbound after death. It had more to do with respect for the Navajo cultural practices they’d learned and followed most of their lives. Habits of a lifetime were hard to break.
“Officer Lujan have any help at the scene?” Ella asked, staring at the lonely stretch
of highway before them.
of highway before them.
“No, but he’s doing what he can to protect the crime scene until we arrive Lujan’s a rookie, but he’s good. He’ll handle things. And it’s not like there’s going to be a crowd there. Most of our people will go out of their way to avoid a body,” Justine said, then added. “Tache, Neskahi, and the M.E. should arrive at the scene shortly.”
Ella nodded. Sergeant Joseph Neskahi
and Officer Ralph Tache worked for her Special Investigations team and served as
the crime scene unit. Carolyn Roanhorse was the tribe’s Forensic Pathologist. She had a thankless job. Since she worked with the bodies of the dead, she was virtually a pariah but, through her work, she continued to acknowledge her debt to the tribe who’d paid for her schooling.
and Officer Ralph Tache worked for her Special Investigations team and served as
the crime scene unit. Carolyn Roanhorse was the tribe’s Forensic Pathologist. She had a thankless job. Since she worked with the bodies of the dead, she was virtually a pariah but, through her work, she continued to acknowledge her debt to the tribe who’d paid for her schooling.
As they approached the scene, Ella
immediately spotted Officer Lujan standing ramrod straight in his tan uniform by the side of the road. He’d taken his post just outside the yellow crime scene tape he’d used to cordon off the area around the body.
immediately spotted Officer Lujan standing ramrod straight in his tan uniform by the side of the road. He’d taken his post just outside the yellow crime scene tape he’d used to cordon off the area around the body.
Officer Lujan was thin and lanky, unlike most Navajo males, and had large soulful eyes. His posture, lack of expression and the almost dogged determination not to look at the body behind
him telegraphed far more than the officer realized.
him telegraphed far more than the officer realized.
“I bet you anything this is his first actual crime scene body,” Ella noted softly. “It’s a toss up what he wants to do more right now—puke or get into his cruiser and put some serious distance between him and this place. And, if my own experience is any guide, he’s probably also wondering what other career choices he’s overlooked.”
They got
out of the unit, and stepped over the yellow tape, which was flapping in the breeze. Office Lujan greeted them with a nod, but didn’t say a word. Ella figured that he probably didn’t trust his voice. She’d been there many times—when the need to erupt was kept just below the surface by sheer will. Even now, some crimes scenes still had the power to get to her.
out of the unit, and stepped over the yellow tape, which was flapping in the breeze. Office Lujan greeted them with a nod, but didn’t say a word. Ella figured that he probably didn’t trust his voice. She’d been there many times—when the need to erupt was kept just below the surface by sheer will. Even now, some crimes scenes still had the power to get to her.
“Justine,” Ella called out, “put
out some cones. We’re going to expand the yellow tape perimeter out to the center stripe of the highway. Officer Lujan can redirect traffic through the far lane. I’ll call for another officer to assist.”
out some cones. We’re going to expand the yellow tape perimeter out to the center stripe of the highway. Officer Lujan can redirect traffic through the far lane. I’ll call for another officer to assist.”
One look at the face-up, bullet riddled corpse in the gravel along the shoulder of the road suggested that the shooter might have fired from a vehicle. That meant at least one lane, maybe both,
could contain vital evidence. If necessary, they’d close the road completely and stop traffic for as long as necessary.
could contain vital evidence. If necessary, they’d close the road completely and stop traffic for as long as necessary.
Ella used her cell phone to make the call, standing about fifteen feet from two obvious and separate pools of blood. The
largest was beneath and around the victim, a fit-looking Navajo male with a buzz cut. He appeared to be in his early to midtwenties and had a dozen or more
bullet holes in his torso and legs. The entire area, a good one hundred feet in every direction from the body, could contain evidence. They’d also have to check for footprints leading away from the victim, in case there was another body farther from the road, still undiscovered.
largest was beneath and around the victim, a fit-looking Navajo male with a buzz cut. He appeared to be in his early to midtwenties and had a dozen or more
bullet holes in his torso and legs. The entire area, a good one hundred feet in every direction from the body, could contain evidence. They’d also have to check for footprints leading away from the victim, in case there was another body farther from the road, still undiscovered.
“I know … knew … the deceased,” the officer said, his voice taut, as if someone had grabbed him by the throat. He was
staring at the ground before his feet, his eyes narrowed, a sign Ella recognized. Part of him was fighting to shut out the images he’d carry with him for the rest of his life.
staring at the ground before his feet, his eyes narrowed, a sign Ella recognized. Part of him was fighting to shut out the images he’d carry with him for the rest of his life.
“Do you have any idea who might have done this to him?” Ella asked. “A local enemy?” Soon Officer Lujan would learn to push back the screaming in his head. They all learned to do the job by getting past the insanity that
shadowed their world.
shadowed their world.
Lujan shook his head. “I don’t know anyone here who may have wanted him dead. All I know is that he’s been serving overseas with a New Mexico National Guard transportation and supply unit. They had a welcome home ceremony about two weeks ago at Fort Bliss, then most of them spent several days waiting for their heavy equipment to arrive so they could drive it back to the
Armory in Farmington. They couldn’t step down until then. He was due back yesterday,” he said, then added, “His brother is a Farmington Police officer. Should I call him?”
Armory in Farmington. They couldn’t step down until then. He was due back yesterday,” he said, then added, “His brother is a Farmington Police officer. Should I call him?”
“Get the FPD duty officer, and have him or her relay the news.”
While Lujan called the Farmington PD on his cell, Justine placed some bright orange cones some distance up and down the road from the scene. Once finished, she
came back to the site and crouched down by a set of tire tracks, notebook in hand. “We don’t have usable footprints, at least not in the vicinity of the body because of the gravel, and probably nowhere else as well. The wind’s already starting to gust. I’ll check farther from the road, of course. We don’t have shell casings either, assuming the
victim was shot and bled out here. But there’s always
the chance the shooter had a revolver, not an automatic.”
came back to the site and crouched down by a set of tire tracks, notebook in hand. “We don’t have usable footprints, at least not in the vicinity of the body because of the gravel, and probably nowhere else as well. The wind’s already starting to gust. I’ll check farther from the road, of course. We don’t have shell casings either, assuming the
victim was shot and bled out here. But there’s always
the chance the shooter had a revolver, not an automatic.”
“The rest of our crime scene team and the M.E. should be here by now. We need to expand our search,” Ella muttered, checking her watch. “Where is everyone?”
Hearing traffic, Ella looked down the highway. “Never mind.” A half minute later the tribe’s Medical Examiner’s vehicle pulled up, followed close behind by the even larger van used
by the tribe’s crime scene unit. Ella nodded to Tache and Neskahi as they climbed out, then went to greet Carolyn Roanhorse, her long-time friend. As Carolyn walked, her baggy slacks and white medical jacket got whipped about by the wind, which had increased in intensity since Ella had first arrived on scene.
by the tribe’s crime scene unit. Ella nodded to Tache and Neskahi as they climbed out, then went to greet Carolyn Roanhorse, her long-time friend. As Carolyn walked, her baggy slacks and white medical jacket got whipped about by the wind, which had increased in intensity since Ella had first arrived on scene.
Carolyn had always been a large woman, but she’d put on more weight this past winter
after her divorce. As she reached Officer Lujan, who was standing beside the yellow tape, she glared at him. “Large and in charge, and coming through. Get out of my way, son,” she barked.
after her divorce. As she reached Officer Lujan, who was standing beside the yellow tape, she glared at him. “Large and in charge, and coming through. Get out of my way, son,” she barked.
Carolyn stepped over the tape and went directly to the body, watching the ground for any obvious evidence in her path. “Some firefight,” she said, crouching by the victim and looking closely at what appeared
to be two blood trails. One led to the second pool Ella had noticed atop the asphalt. “Looks like he wasn’t the only one who sprung a leak,” she said.
to be two blood trails. One led to the second pool Ella had noticed atop the asphalt. “Looks like he wasn’t the only one who sprung a leak,” she said.
“We’ll photograph everything and take samples, but we still haven’t got any shell casings or rounds, except what’s probably in the victim’s body,” Ella said. “I’ll need those slugs as soon as you can part with them. Also, I need an estimated time
of death.”
of death.”
“Understood,” Carolyn said, her eyes never leaving the corpse. “From the condition of the body, I’d say he died not more than a few hours ago—around seven in the morning, give or take. There are no obvious powder burns, so whatever happened here wasn’t up close and personal.” As she continued to study the body and the entry wounds in particular, she added, “Wait. Two shots were up
close—execution style. Both went through his
heart.” Carolyn waited for Tache to take photos, then began the process of bagging the victim’s hands.
close—execution style. Both went through his
heart.” Carolyn waited for Tache to take photos, then began the process of bagging the victim’s hands.
Justine was taking samples from the blood trail, and both larger pools of blood. “This makes no sense,” she said. “Why have the carjackers added murder to their M.O. all of a sudden? Until now, they’ve managed to pull off the heists by threatening
their victims and manhandling them.”
their victims and manhandling them.”
“The carjackers probably didn’t know that their latest victim was a soldier who’d just come back from a combat zone—and from a unit that had been trained to be particularly wary of roadside attacks. Fighting would have come more naturally to him than surrendering. But this wasn’t a simple execution. Those heel marks on the shoulder of the road in the gravel
suggest that the victim was dragged out of the vehicle to where he is now, and someone else was dragged several feet into the road, then disappeared.”
suggest that the victim was dragged out of the vehicle to where he is now, and someone else was dragged several feet into the road, then disappeared.”
“So there were at least two carjackers involved in the shooting, and the victim may have wounded one of them severely enough to prevent him from making it back to their vehicle without help,” Justine said.
“If that perp couldn’t walk, chances
are he couldn’t have driven the second car away either, which means we’re talking three perps, at least,” Ella said, “which is consistent with other reports of another vehicle nearby. We need to check with area hospitals and see if they’ve treated a gunshot victim. Also we need to look for that second car. Their M.O. so far has been to lure a person in by having a good looking woman pretend to have
car trouble, then having a big guy jump the good samaritan and strong-arm him or her. But this time they didn’t leave the stolen junker behind, at least not in the immediate area.”
are he couldn’t have driven the second car away either, which means we’re talking three perps, at least,” Ella said, “which is consistent with other reports of another vehicle nearby. We need to check with area hospitals and see if they’ve treated a gunshot victim. Also we need to look for that second car. Their M.O. so far has been to lure a person in by having a good looking woman pretend to have
car trouble, then having a big guy jump the good samaritan and strong-arm him or her. But this time they didn’t leave the stolen junker behind, at least not in the immediate area.”
Justine nodded. “I’ll handle that right now. Should I also get a list of other returning soldiers from the victim’s National Guard unit, particularly those who live around here?”
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